Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot on December 24, 2020, launched a Mobile Application “Swachhata Abhiyan” in the presence of Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ram Das Athawale and Krishan Pal Gurjar in New Delhi.
In the absence of any authentic data base regarding the location of insanitary latrines, it has been decided to seek the help of NGOs, Social Organisations, and general public for collection and compilation of the data. A mobile application “Swachhata Abhiyan” has been developed for this purpose.This mobile application can be downloaded from the ‘Google Play Store’ free of cost, according to a PIB release.
Addressing the event, Gehlot said that this mobile application “Swachhata Abhiyan” has been developed to identify and geotag the data of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers so that the insanitary latrines can be replaced with sanitary latrines and rehabilitate all the manual scavengers to provide dignity of life to them. The mobile application can be downloaded from the ‘Google Play Store’ on your mobiles. He urged all citizens of the country to download the above application and if they notice any insanitary latrine or manual scavenger, their details may be uploaded using the application.
He said that Census 2011 reported Existence of more than 26 Lakh insanitary latrines in the country. Existence of insanitary latrines is the main reason for manual scavenging. “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013”mandates survey of insanitary latrines, their demolition, and construction of sanitary latrines in their place.
Gehlot said that more than 9 crore sanitary latrines have been constructed under Swachh Bharat Mission. The country has been declared as open defecation free. More than 66 thousand manual scavengers have been identified since 2013-14 through surveys by the States and also through a National survey in 194 districts. More than 57 thousand manual scavengers, who have submitted bank account details, have been paid onetime assistance of Rs 40,000 each. The manual scavengers and their dependents are also provided skill training with monthly stipend of Rs 3000 and subsidy up to Rs 3,25,000 on loans taken by them for self- employment projects.
Gehlot expressed his concern over reports from social organisations about existence of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers in some isolated parts of the country. The Government is determined to identify all such insanitary latrines and manual scavengers and make the country insanitary latrine and manual scavenger free at the earliest, he said.